#CaringForCommunity is a blog series that spotlights the work of writers, artists, or your next-door neighbors who, without being asked and without pay, carry the light in simple but meaningful ways. These are people giving back in order to lift others up. Real life examples of compassion, concern, and inspiration.
Today, I’m sharing link to thoughts on kindness and kind thoughts in action.
Kindness in Thought
Amy Krouse Rosenthal is an accomplished author of children’s books and memoirs and a page full of videos about life and love and wisdom. Even so, her name was new to me when it came across my Facebook feed last week. Rosenthal wrote a heartfelt (and heartbreaking) essay for the New York Times Modern Love column (which you should definitely read). She also created this Thought Bubble video back in 2010 on being Kind.
Based solely on her essay and this video, I imagine Amy Krouse Rosenthal has been the epitome of kind long before her Modern Love essay went viral. We would do well to carry her message and her spirit into our own daily actions.
Kindness in Deed
Speaking of actions, Tricklebee Cafe, a local restaurant in Milwaukee, practices kindness and care in all they do. Tricklebee serves lunch Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11am to 2pm, and provides locally-sourced meals to customers whether or not they can foot the bill.
“Tricklebee Café is a pay-what-you-can community café that offers healthy meals, food-service training, and spiritual nourishment. We offer a space to foster community, connections, goodwill, and a love for real food with simple ingredients. By offering an inclusive and welcoming space, we hope to bring some positivity to this neighborhood that greatly needs peace and understanding.”
(In the photo above, volunteers are making snack bags for kids in the neighborhood. Any time the doors to the cafe are open, hungry kids can stop by and take one bag of healthy snacks.)
It all sounds dreamy, impossible, over the top generous, and maybe you’re thinking, What’s the catch? That’s just it. There is none. There is only the spirit of warm hearts caring for community by making sure everyone has a seat at the table and a plate full of healthy food. Yes, the cafe is part of the Moravian Church of America, but as Executive Director Reverend Christie Melby-Gibbons says (in this OnMilwaukee article), “we’re also supportive of interfaith dialog…. We want it to be a safe and peaceful place for everyone, including Muslims, people of the Jewish faith and anyone who wants to gather.”
That kind of generosity spreads, grows, and blossoms in hearts and souls inside and outside of the cafe. Amy Krouse Rosenthal would be proud.
Visit Tricklebee’s Facebook page for photos and details on upcoming events. Check out their website to view their Wish List and information on how to volunteer.